New Hartley is a thriving ex-mining village of around 2,000 residents in South East Northumberland, north of Whitley Bay. The village boasts a vibrant community with a lively social club featuring a community garden and music venue, a pub, two churches, village shops, and various cultural and educational initiatives. Renowned for the mining disaster of 1862, extensive research on the tragedy is available online and in local archives and museums. The current community honors this legacy by maintaining the Memorial Gardens and Path. They have also formed a new Heritage Research Group, supported by the WEA, to explore, share, and document the "hidden layers and wider fields of local history and heritage." This group aims to enhance their research, archiving, publication, and dissemination skills.
The group meets regularly at the New Hartley Residents’ Social Club for skill-sharing events and talks. They collaborate to build local history walks and heritage trails, creating an archive of local stories for everyone to share and learn from.
To join in with activities of the New Hartley Heritage Research Group, email [email protected] for details.
Read the latest minutes and study updates from the group here. Archive meeting minutes will appear here as the group progresses.
